Did Frida Kahlo’s Romance with Mysticism Influence her Art?

Did Frida Kahlo’s Romance with Mysticism Influence her Art?

It is said that Diego Rivera (Frida’s husband) was a prominent member of the Rosicrucian Quetzalcoatl lodge located in Mexico. His painting “La Serpiente Emplumada” or “The Feathered Serpent”, still hangs in the Quetzalcoatl lodge till this day. He is quoted as saying that he only joined the order to infiltrate the imperialist ranks through the medium of the secret societies stationed in Mexico. Perhaps he joined only to infiltrate; however, mysticism ran in his blood as you can see in the various occult paintings that he produced. His father Don Diego was a Freemason, and Diego was rumored to be a 33 degree Freemason himself. He had a passion for collecting ancient indigenous archeological pieces which he housed in the Anahuacalli museum in Coyoacan. The word Anahuacalli means “house of Anahuac” in Nahuatl. Broken down Anahuach is “the place or land nearby water” which is the indigenous name given to the ancient sacred land of the mystics in a time past.

The painting titled Quetzalcoatl by Diego Rivera is cleverly converted into the emblem of the Rose Cross. He constructed the head of the plummed serpent in a manner in which you can see a rose in full blossom. In the middle of the painting you can see the face of the serpent facing forward from its coiled feathers. On both sides of the painting you can see two equilateral triangles, and in the middle of those triangles you can see a red rose. On the lateral sides you can see flames which represent the eternal fire that burns within us.

Ahh, but who can forget the beautiful Frida Kahlo? Frida had an enigmatic personality and lived her life as she pleased . She quite frequently dressed as a man and had affairs with women like the famous Josephine Baker. Her paintings not only depicted the pain that she suffered throughout her whole life but the mystical intrigue that shrouded her true self (soul). The speculation is that she acquired her love for the occult as well as her love for pre-hispanic cultures; like the Olmecs, through her relationship with Diego Rivera . Frida often painted herself with a third eye and named one of her paintings “The Flower of Life”. Below is a famous quote by Frida Kahlo that is reminiscent of a passage in the Kyballion by The Three Initiates;

Frida’s painting titled “El Abraso de Amor del Universo” (The Loving Embrace of the Universe) is distinctively dual in nature. The aphorism “As Above So Below” seems to be the theme of this painting. In the painting day becomes night, as life becomes death, and spring transforms into fall . You can also see Diego depicted as having a third eye . Frida represents the divine feminine in the form of mother nature. She depicted Mother Nature nurturing her while she in turn nurtured Diego. The male Olmec figure behind Mother Nature represents masculine energy and Mother Nature represents female energy.

In between mysticism and art the dynamic duo blazed a trail. Many see Diego’s and Frida’s art but few saw them as the dual beings that they were.

-This is dedicated to the truth seekers of all time and the expansion of consciousness.